Israel Bites U.S. Hand That Feeds It

Israel takes a clear and decisive step against the world displaying its rogue nature in latest shake up over the illegal settlement development.

On Sunday, Israel’s Transport Minister Yisrael Katz vehemently declared that Israel will not bow to U.S. demands to halt its settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

“I want to say in a crystal clear manner that the current Israeli government will not accept in any fashion that legal settlement activity in Judea and Samaria be frozen,” said Katz who is a close aide to hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The government will defend the vital interests of the state of Israel,” he told army radio.

The rebuttal is considered the first high-level reaction to Washington’s demands for Israeli settlement expansion to be halted.

The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal for they are in violation of three United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

The Israeli government, however, has refused at every turn to take action toward ceasing or even slowing down its illegal development of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Tel Aviv has also made clear its utter distaste for a two-state solution – another defiance of Washington’s guidelines for the Middle East peace process.

As a result Portugal’s foreign minister called on the European Union to join force with the U.S. against Israel in pressuring Tel Aviv into accepting the creation of a Palestinian state.

Obama’s unequivocal stance on Israel’s inhumane and unrelenting siege of the Gaza Strip, and it’s settlement construction activity is a slap in the face of the former Bush administration’s cart blanche approval for Israel to act in complete disregard of international convention.

The Israeli government, in response to U.S. and world pressure has begun large scale military defense exercises near the border of Lebanon.

The maneuvers, said to address Israel’s tactical weaknesses demonstrated from its 2006 defeat when it attacked Lebanon in an unprovoked display of aggression, are making surrounding Muslim countries nervous.

United States President Barack Obama lays out long-term visionary goals, such as Middle East peace, but he moves with political pragmatism in advancing them. This is as true of his domestic and economic objectives as it is of his complex approach to Israel.

His statements are carefully tailored to the measure of Congress’ support for Israel. Congressional representatives are committed to preserving Israel’s security and dealing with Iran, but do not support strengthening the settlements. So Obama stresses his support for Israel’s security, but is willing to confront Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the settlements. >>>

U.S. President Barack Obama has given himself a two-year deadline to reach a breakthrough on a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, The Sunday Times reported.

The administration has been firm in its declarations that it would pursue a two-state solution and Obama has vowed to “change the conversation” with the Muslim world in order to widen the diplomatic circle involved in the peace process. >>>